Darja Varfolomeev (Russian: Да́рья Дми́триевна Варфоломе́ева; born 4 November 2006) is a Russian-born German rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2024 Olympic all-around and 2023 World all-around gold medalist and the 2022 World all-around silver medalist. In 2024 she became the 2024 European all-around bronze medalist. At the national level, she is a two-time national all-around champion (in 2022 and 2023) as well a two-time all-around junior champion (in 2019 and 2021).
| Darja Varfolomeev | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Varfolomeev in 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Darja Dmitrievna Varfolomeev | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | Dasha | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country represented |  Germany | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 4 November 2006 Barnaul, Russia[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hometown | Fellbach-Schmiden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Fellbach-Schmiden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 47 kg (103 lb)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Rhythmic gymnastics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level | Senior International Elite | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years on national team | 2019 - present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | TSV Schmiden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gym | Bundesstützpunkt Schmiden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach(es) | Yulia Raskina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World ranking | 1 (2024 Season)[3]
4 (2023 Season)[4] 14 (2022 Season) [5] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Personal life
editVarfolomeev was born in Barnaul, Russia, to father Dmitry and mother Tatiana.[6] Her grandfather is an ethnic German. She started rhythmic gymnastics at a young age thanks to her mother, a former rhythmic gymnast.[7]
Varfolomeev moved from Russia to Germany in 2019 without her parents, who would follow three years later, to be coached by Olympic silver medalist Yulia Raskina.[8]
She owns a chihuahua. Due to her training load ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, she reduced her schoolwork and delayed her graduation from secondary school.[9]
In 2021, Varfolomeev visited Russian-occupied Crimea and took part in competitions there.[10] In December 2023, she published a photo from her home with a wooden map apparently bought in Russia and depicting Ukrainian territories annexed in 2022 by Russia.[11] The next day after she became Olympic champion she deleted those photos from her Instagram.[11]
Career
editJunior
editAt the first Junior World Championships in rhythmic gymnastics in Moscow in 2019, she placed 15th in the team event with Margarita Kolosov.[12] She also placed 15th in qualifications for the clubs, which was the only apparatus she competed with.
Senior
edit2022 season: Senior debut and World silver all-around medal
editShe debuted in the senior category in 2022, at World Cup Tashkent, where she won the bronze medal in the all-around. She took another bronze medal in the hoop final as well as two silver medals in the ball and ribbon finals, and she placed 4th with clubs. On May 20–22, she competed at World Challenge Cup Pamplona, where she took 4th place in the all-around.[13] She also won two gold medals in the ball and ribbon finals and was 4th place in the clubs final.[14] Varfolomeev continued collecting medals at World Challenge Cup Portimão, where she won silver in the all-around behind Israeli Adi Asya Katz. She took three more medals in the apparatus finals - two gold with ball and clubs and one silver with hoop.[15]
In June she competed at the European Championships in Tel Aviv, along Kolosov, the senior group and the two juniors Lada Pusch and Anna-Maria Shatokhin; she won two bronze medals in the ball and clubs finals.[16] In late August she took part in the World Cup in Cluj-Napoca, where she was 6th in the all-around, 4th with ball and 4th with clubs.[17]
Varfolomeev was also selected for the World Championships in Sofia along with Kolosov and the senior group. There she won gold in the clubs final, silver in the all-around, team category, and ball, as well as bronze with hoop.[18]
2023 season: World all-around gold sweep
editIn 2023 she showed her clubs routine in the Italian clubs championship' first stage, where she competed for Motto Viareggio.[19] Due to a foot operation in December 2022, Varfolomeev competed with only two apparatuses in the Fellbach-Schmiden Tournament, where she won gold in both the ball and clubs finals.[20] She won one medal at the 2023 European Championships, the gold in ribbon.[21]
At the 2023 World Championships, Varfolomeev won every gold medal available in the all-around and the four apparatus finals, making her the only rhythmic gymnast to do so after Evgeniya Kanaeva.[8] It was the first world all-around title for a German rhythmic gymnast in nearly 50 years, after Carmen Rischer won the 1975 World Championships.[9]
Afterward, she was a co-winner of the Piotr Nurowski Prize awarded by the European Olympic Committees to athletes under 18, along with Turkish swimmer Kuzey Tunçelli.[22] During the off-season, she traveled to give master classes in Spain and Poland.[9]
2024 season: Olympic champion
editIn March, Varfolomeev competed at the Rhythmic Gymnastics Grand Prix stage in Marbella, where she won the all-around bronze medal and qualified for the hoop, clubs, and ribbon finals. In the hoop final, she won gold.[23]
The next month, she competed at the World Cup in Baku. She won the all-around gold ahead of Elvira Krasnobaeva and Sofia Raffaeli, and she then went on to win three of the four event final golds as well in the hoop, ball, and ribbon finals. In the clubs final, she dropped her apparatus and came in third behind Raffaeli and Taisiia Onofriichuk.[24][25] The week after, she competed at the next World Cup in Tashkent, where she once again won the all-around, this time ahead of Takhmina Ikromova and Boryana Kaleyn. In the apparatus finals, she won two more golds in clubs and ribbon, and silver in the other two finals, hoop and ball.[26]
In May, she represented Germany at the 2024 European Championships in Budapest, Hungary and won the bronze medal in the all-around final behind Stiliana Nikolova and Sofia Raffaeli. She also placed fourth in the team competition with fellow Germans Anastasia Simakova, Margarita Kolosov and German senior group. In the apparatus finals, Varfolomeev won a gold medal in ribbon and placed fourth in the ball final.[27] She did not advance into the clubs final after finishing 10th in qualifications.[28]
On June 6–7, she competed at the German national championships and won the silver medal in the all-around behind Margarita Kolosov. She had a drop during her hoop routine when the hoop hit a bar on the ceiling, and at the end of the all-around, she was 0.3 point away from her teammate.[29] The next day, during the event finals, she adjusted her routines for the ceiling of the venue and rebounded to win three of the four gold medals (hoop, clubs, and ribbon). She also won silver in the ball final behind Kolosov.[30] Later in June, she competed at the World Cup in Milan. She won the all-around ahead of Sofia Raffaeli and Viktoriia Onopriienko and also won three medals in the apparatus finals: gold with ball and clubs and silver with ribbon. In the hoop final, she dropped her apparatus and ended in fourth.[31]
In August, she competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics. She qualified to the final in second place after dropping her hoop.[32] In the final, she was the only competitor with multiple scores above 36, and she won the competition, making her the first German rhythmic gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal and the first rhythmic gymnastics medal for Germany since Regina Weber won a bronze at the 1984 Summer Olympics.[33][34] She said of her result, "It's difficult to say something right now. I'm really happy and I'm still not really believing it."[34]
On November 4, her 18th birthday, she was awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), the highest sports award in Germany, by president Frank-Walter Steinmeier.[35] Later in November, she competed in the final of the rhythmic gymnastics Bundesliga; she and Anna-Maria Shatokhin contributed the most points for their club, TSV Schmien, which won the competition. Varfolomeev noted the size of the audience at the competition and said, "In most cases, we don't have such a full hall, which makes me even happier that so many are now interested in our sport".[36]
Achievements
edit- First German rhythmic gymnast to win a medal in an individual apparatus final at European Championships since 1980, making her the first German rhythmic gymnast to medal in an individual apparatus final at European Championships after the reunification of Germany.
- First German rhythmic gymnast to win two medals in individual apparatus finals at European Championships.
- First German rhythmic gymnast to win a medal in an individual apparatus final at World Championships since 1977, making her the first German rhythmic gymnast to medal at World Championships after the reunification of Germany.
- First German rhythmic gymnast to win a gold medal in an individual apparatus final at World Championships since 1975, making her the first German rhythmic gymnast to become a World Champion after the reunification of Germany.
- First German rhythmic gymnast to win a medal in an all-around final at World Championships since 1975, making her the first German rhythmic gymnast to achieve this after the reunification of Germany.
- First German rhythmic gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal.
Detailed Olympic results
edit| Year | Competition Description | Location | Music | Apparatus | Rank-Final | Score-Final | Rank-Qualifying | Score-Qualifying |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Olympics | Paris | All-around | 1st | 142.850 | 2th | 136.850 | |
| "Jackseye's Tale, Escape from East Berlin, Take You Down" by Daniel Pemberton | Hoop | 1st | 36.300 | 12th | 32.500 | |||
| "In the Closet" by Michael Jackson | Ball | 1st | 36.500 | 1st | 36.450 | |||
| "Batshit - Ilkay Sencan Remix" by Sofi Tukker | Clubs | 1st | 36.350 | 1st | 35.250 | |||
| "Generali" by HAVASI | Ribbon | 2nd | 33.700 | 3rd | 32.650 |
Routine music information
edit| Year | Apparatus | Music Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hoop | Jackseye's Tale, Escape from East Berlin, Take You Down by Daniel Pemberton |
| Ball | In the Closet by Michael Jackson | |
| Clubs | Batshit - Ilkay Sencan Remix by Sofi Tukker | |
| Ribbon | Generali by HAVASI | |
| 2023 | Hoop | Jackseye's Tale, Escape from East Berlin, Take You Down by Daniel Pemberton |
| Ball | Mercy (Remix) by Duffy | |
| Clubs | Calabria /Destination Calabria by Alex Gaudino, Crystal Waters | |
| Ribbon | Generali by HAVASI | |
| 2022 | Hoop | John Drops In by John Powell |
| Ball | Mercy (Remix) by Duffy | |
| Clubs | Calabria /Destination Calabria by Alex Gaudino, Crystal Waters | |
| Ribbon | Doowit by Pharrell Williams | |
| 2021 | Hoop | John Drops In by John Powell |
| Ball | Ojos Así (Thunder Mix) by Shakira | |
| Clubs | On The Floor by Jennifer Lopez feat Pitbull | |
| Ribbons | The Duel by HAVASI | |
| 2020 | Rope | Ride by ZZ WARD feat Gary Clark jr |
| Ball | Ojos Así (Thunder Mix) by Shakira | |
| Clubs | On The Floor by Jennifer Lopez feat Pitbull | |
| Ribbon | ||
| 2019 | Rope | |
| Ball | Ojos Así (Thunder Mix) by Shakira | |
| Clubs | Tico Tico by Dalida | |
| Ribbon |
Competitive highlights
edit(Team competitions in seniors are held only at the World Championships, Europeans and other Continental Games.)
| International: Senior | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Event | AA | Team | Hoop | Ball | Clubs | Ribbon |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | 1st | |||||
| World Challenge Cup Cluj-Napoca | 2nd | 4th | 1st | 1st | 8th | ||
| World Cup Milan | 1st | 4th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | ||
| European Championships | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 10th (Q) | 1st | ||
| World Challenge Cup Portimão | 1st | 1st | 7th | 1st | 1st | ||
| World Cup Tashkent | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | ||
| World Cup Baku | 1st | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 1st | ||
| Grand Prix Marbella | 3rd | 1st | 12th (Q) | 6th | 7th | ||
| Gymnastik International Fellbach-Schmiden | 1st | 1st | |||||
| 2023 | Aeon Cup | 1st | 1st | ||||
| World Championships | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |
| World Cup Milan | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 3rd | ||
| World Challenge Cup Cluj-Napoca | 3rd | 5th | 12th (Q) | 2nd | 1st | ||
| European Championships | 4th | 5th | 12th (Q) | 5th | 5th | 1st | |
| World Challenge Cup Portimão | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | ||
| World Cup Baku | 4th | 8th | 1st | 3rd | 24th (Q) | ||
| World Cup Tashkent | 5th | 6th | 19th (Q) | 2nd | 2nd | ||
| Gymnastik International Fellbach-Schmiden | 1st | 1st | |||||
| 2022 | World Championships | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 10th (Q) |
| World Challenge Cup Cluj-Napoca | 6th | 9th (Q) | 4th | 4th | 9th (Q) | ||
| European Championships | 5th | 5th | 9th (Q) | 3rd | 3rd | 6th | |
| World Challenge Cup Portimão | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 5th | ||
| World Challenge Cup Pamplona | 4th | 12th (Q) | 1st | 4th | 1st | ||
| World Cup Tashkent | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | 2nd | ||
| International: Junior | |||||||
| Year | Event | AA | Team | Rope | Ball | Clubs | Ribbon |
| 2019 | Junior World Championships | 15th | 15th (Q) | ||||
| National: Senior | |||||||
| Year | Event | AA | Team | Hoop | Ball | Clubs | Ribbon |
| 2024 | German Championships | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | |
| 2023 | German Championships | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |
| 2022 | German Championships | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 3rd | |
| National: Junior | |||||||
| Year | Event | AA | Team | Hoop | Ball | Clubs | Ribbon |
| 2021 | German Junior Championships | 1st | |||||
| Year | Event | AA | Team | Rope | Ball | Clubs | Ribbon |
| 2019 | German Junior Championships | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | |
| Q = Qualifications (Did not advance to Event Final due to the 2 gymnast per country rule, only Top 8 highest score, no Event Finals held); WD = Withdrew | |||||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Darja Varfolomeev / FIG Athlete's profile". Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ a b Müller, Miriam. "Das ist Deutschlands Sportgymnastin Darja Varfolomeev: Herkunft, Karriere, Freund & Tod ihrer Freundin" [This is Germany's gymnast Darja Varfolomeev: origin, career, boyfriend & death of her friend]. wettfreunde.net.
- ^ "Rhythmic Gymnastics World Ranking 2024 Individual Competitions". fig-gymnastics.com.
- ^ "Rhythmic Gymnastics World Ranking 2023 Individual Competitions" (PDF). fig-gymnastics.com.
- ^ "Rhythmic Gymnastics World Ranking 2022 Individual Competitions" (PDF). fig-gymnastics.com.
- ^ "Русская гимнастка завоевала сразу две медали на чемпионате мира. Вот за кого можно болеть!". championat.com. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ "#4 Road to Paris - Wie alles begann" (in German). 2018-05-18. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ a b "Germany's golden girl Darja Varfolomeev relives emotional journey - and reveals her superpowers". Olympics.com. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ a b c Jörgensen, Steven (2023-12-25). "Deutschlands Goldkönigin: "Ich trainiere so viel, dass ich nicht besonders aufs Gewicht achten muss" - WELT" [Germany's Gold Queen: "I train so much, I don't have to pay attention to my weight."]. Die Welt (in German). Retrieved 2024-04-27.
- ^ "Олімпійською чемпіонкою з художньої гімнастики стала колишня росіянка, яка виступала в окупованому Криму (Ex-Russian who competed in occupied Crimea became Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics)". champion.com.ua. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Ексросіянка Варфоломеєв, яка здобула золото Олімпіади з гімнастики, видалила фото з мапою, де окуповані території України зображено частиною РФ (Ex-Russian who won Olympic gold in gymnastics deleted the photo with a map depicting occupied territories of Ukraine as part of Russia)". ua.tribuna.com. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "Darja Varfolomeev Erfolge" (in German).
- ^ "World Challenge CUP RG 2022, Botones Acceso Resultados en Directo" (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ Eliott Brennan (22 May 2022). "German rhythmic gymnasts star at FIG World Challenge Cup in Pamplona". Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ "Je zweimal Gold und Silber für Varfolomeev" (in German). Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ "2022 European Championships Result Book" (PDF). europeangymnastics.
- ^ "Gymnastics - World Cup Rhythmic Gymnastics - Cluj-Napoca 2022 - Results". www.the-sports.org. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
- ^ "2022 World Championships Result Book" (PDF). gym.longinestiming.
- ^ MottoViareggio (2023-02-03). "La Motto ingaggia la campionessa tedesca Daria Varfolomeev". Accademia di Ginnastica Ritmica - ASD R Motto Viareggio (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ "Gymnastik International in Schmiden". Deutscher Turner-Bund e.V. (in German). Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ "2023 European Rhythmic Championships Result Book" (PDF). European Gymnastics. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Varfolomeev and Tunçelli first shared winners of EOC Piotr Nurowski Prize". www.insidethegames.biz. 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "Grand Prix Marbella 2024 Media Post Event Results Book" (PDF). International Gymnastics Federation. 10 March 2023.
- ^ "Mehrkampf-Gold für Varfolomeev" [All-around gold for Varfolomeev]. Deutscher Turner-Bund (in German). 20 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
- ^ "Drei weitere Goldstücke für Varfolomeev" [Three more gold medals for Varfolomeev]. Deutscher Turner-Bund e.V. (in German). 21 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
- ^ "FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Tashkent (UZB) 2024" (PDF). International Gymnastics Federation. 28 April 2024.
- ^ "Sportgymnastik-Weltmeisterin Darja Varfolomeev nutzt EM in Budapest für Olympia-Vorbereitung". olympics.com (in German). 22 May 2024.
- ^ "Darja Varfolomeev holt EM-Gold mit dem Band" (in German). 26 May 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Darja Varfolomeev verliert Mehrkampf-Titel überraschend an Margarita Kolosov" [Darja Varfolomeev surprisingly loses all-around title to Margarita Kolosov]. swr.online (in German). 2024-06-06. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
- ^ "Varfolomeev dominiert die Gerätefinals" [Varfolomeev dominates the event finals]. Deutscher Turner-Bund (in German). 7 June 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
- ^ "Varfolomeev glänzt in Mailand: Mehrkampf-Sieg und Gesamtweltcup" [Varfolomeev shines in Milan: all-around victory and overall World Cup]. www.stb.de (in German). 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
- ^ "Russian native Darja Varfolomeev wins Germany's first Olympic gold in rhythmic gymnastics". AP News. 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ Peene, Sam (9 August 2024). "Paris 2024 rhythmic gymnastics: All results, as Germany's Darja Varfolomeev clinches individual all-around gold on Olympic debut". Olympics.com.
- ^ a b Bregman, Scott (9 August 2024). "Darja Varfolomeev and Germany's long road to rhythmic gymnastics glory". Olympics.com.
- ^ "Darja Varfolomeev feiert Geburtstag mit dem Bundespräsidenten" [Darja Varfolomeev celebrates birthday with the Federal President]. SWR Sport (in German). 2024-10-23. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
- ^ "TSV Schmiden gewinnt Deutsche Meisterschaft" [TSV Schmiden wins German championship]. SWR Sport (in German). 2024-11-23. Retrieved 2024-11-24.